1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a load control system comprising a plurality of load control devices for controlling the amount of power delivered to a plurality of electrical loads from an alternating-current (AC) power source, and more particularly, to a simple lighting control system operable to receive a contact closure input from a security system, wherein the lighting control system is pre-configured to respond to the contact closure input from the security system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Typical load control systems are operable to control the amount of power delivered to an electrical load, such as a lighting load or a motor load, from an alternating-current (AC) power source. A load control system generally comprises a plurality of control devices coupled to a communication link (e.g., a wireless or a wired communication link) to allow for communication between the control devices. The control devices of a lighting control system include load control devices, such as dimmers, which are operable to control the amount of power delivered to the loads in response to digital messages received across the communication link or local inputs, such as user actuations of a button. Further, the control devices of a lighting control system often include one or more keypads or contact closure input devices, which both transmit commands across the communication link to control the loads coupled to the load control devices. An example of a lighting control system is described in greater detail in commonly-assigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,803,728, issued Oct. 12, 2004, entitled SYSTEM FOR CONTROL OF DEVICES, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
Many prior art lighting control systems have offered an advanced set of features to end users. The Homeworks® residential lighting control system, manufactured by the assignee of the present invention, allows homeowners to easily control the lighting loads in their homes to operate in a desired fashion. Homeowners may control a plurality of lighting loads together from a single master keypad. The Homeworks lighting control system includes a timeclock, such that the lighting loads may be controlled automatically, for example, to simulate occupancy while the homeowners are away. The Homeworks lighting control system may also be integrated with other residential control systems, such as security systems. For example, the lighting control system may be programmed to turn all of the lights on inside the house and flash the outside lights in the event of an intrusion. Further, in the event of a fire, the lighting control system may flash the outside lights, while keeping the interior lights at a dim level (since bright lights in combination with smoke can cause a fog-like blinding effect).
To interface to the lighting control system, the security system comprises a plurality of contact closure outputs. Accordingly, the lighting control system comprises a plurality of contact closure inputs for receipt of contact closure output signals from the contact closure outputs, with one contact closure input for each of the contact closure outputs of the security system. Contact closure inputs are typically used to provide a simple communication means between two control systems, i.e., the lighting control system and the security system. For example, the security system may provide a contact closure input to the lighting control system in the event of an intrusion or a fire. The contact closure outputs of the security system are provided by a suitable switching device, such as, a relay or a transistor. Each contact closure output has two states: open (i.e., idle) or closed (i.e., asserted). The contact closure output signal is asserted by closing the switching device, i.e., electrically connecting the two terminals of the contact closure output.
The Homeworks lighting control system requires an advanced configuration procedure in order to implement the features of the system, e.g., the desired responses of the lighting control system in response to an intrusion or a fire. Often, a trained professional is required to program the desired functionality using a graphical user interface (GUI) software running on a personal computer (PC). The configuration procedures for many of the advanced features are rather complex and may involve programming using conditional logic.
Therefore, there exists a need for a simple lighting control system that can be coupled to a security system, but does not require an advanced configuration procedure in order to appropriately program the lighting control system to respond to the security system.